


Lost Voices

by Tigerion



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: AU, Beacon Hills, Betrayal, Depression, Derek is Not a Failwolf, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotionally Constipated Derek, Fire, Fluff and Angst, Frustrated Stiles, Gen, Hurt Derek, Hurt Scott, Hurt Stiles, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mates, Past Kate Argent/Derek Hale, Sign Language, Slow Build, Slow Build Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Understanding, Warning: Kate Argent, Wolf!Derek, Worried Derek, Worried Scott, Worried Stiles Stilinski, mute!Stiles, season one, slow building, sterek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2015-08-13
Packaged: 2018-04-11 20:36:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4451465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tigerion/pseuds/Tigerion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's been a voice echoing in the back of Derek's mind for as long as he can remember. Sometimes its sad, sometimes its happy and sometimes its just plain cranky. Its always strongest when he's in Beacon Hills so he's convinced that the owner of the voice lives in the small town he once called home. </p><p>When his sister goes missing, Derek moves back to the old Hale estate and tries to piece together everything transpiring in the town. He's not ready to accept the responsibility of mentoring a newly turned werewolf but he finds himself with little choice. All the while the voice in his head grows loudest around Stiles Stilinski, but the kid is mute and can't talk. Surely he's not the voice, and the mate, that Derek has been searching for, right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> ##### Things To Know
>
>>   
>  -Stiles is unable to speak. (Verbally)  
> -Werewolves are able to hone in on their mate's thoughts and feelings. (Usually just a vague impression of what the other is thinking unless they are in the same proximity as them OR the other is extremely emotional for some reason.)  
> -The connection can not be used for communication. (For example; telepathy)  
> -This does follow the show for the most part, although you will notice some changes  
> -The fic is only rated Mature to be safe, as it could turn graphic and etc. Right now it could be considered Teen.  
> 
> 
> #####  Keeping Up With The Italics
>
>>   
> : _text_ : = Stiles signing.  
> { _text_ }= The thoughts/emotions of the mate crossing into the other's thoughts.  
>  _text_ = Thoughts.  
> 

The voice plagues him, teasing him and leaving him in a constant state of searching. Which is how he found himself back in Beacon Hills, the toe of his sneaker kicking through the burnt remains of the family house. The scent of charred flesh was still strong, and Derek Hale purposefully avoided breathing through his nose. Yes, breathing through his mouth felt awkward, but at least every breath wasn't a sharp reminder of what had happened to his family. Or his role in what had happened. He clenched his hands, hissing slightly as his nails bit into the palms of his hands. His car sat in front of his old home, new and shiny. A sharp contrast its current location. A tentative smile formed on his lips as he thought about how his mother would have loved the Camaro. She had always liked fast things.

A flicker of red catches his eyes and the beta snarls when he realizes that someone had been debasing the house. _His house._ Fury swelled up inside, dark and angry. He inhales sharply, nostrils flaring to catch every scent that coated the area. Hazel eyes close as the werewolf concentrates, slowly filtering out the smells that didn't matter. _Charred wood, rodents, rot and spray paint._ Derek leaned against a nearby tree, using it to hold most of his weight while he sorted through the tangle of scents. _Diesel, birds and a fox._ His brow furrows as he moves closer to the afflicted part of the house. The smell of sex sends him reeling backwards, sneezing sharply in disgust. He pounds a fist against one of the columns, the wood splintering under the touch. 

There wasn't any way that someone from around here didn't know what had happened at the Hale place. The centuries old estate had always been the center of attention for the small town. But it hadn't been until the sky glowed orange in the night that people had really focused on the occupants. By then it had been far too late for most of them. It was a shame really, that the Hale family was only really noticed when ninety-eight percent of them had burned to death. Derek snorts, _I should have been there._ It was a school play rehearsal that had saved him and his sister Laura. His uncle was still alive, although Derek was loathe to acknowledge his state as 'living'.

He had already visited Peter once since arriving in Beacon Hills. It hadn't done much good, the man was still as traumatized as he had been when the rescuers pulled him out of the burning house. Nobody had expected him to survive the night, his burns severe and merely a reflection of the emotional damage that had been instilled. Yet, by some miracle he had lived and was somehow still managing to hold on. Derek supposed that he should be glad, one more Hale to survive after all. One less grave to visit in the cemetery. 

The dying light outside informs him of the fact that its nearly sunset and he's reminded of one of the reasons he's back here. _Laura,_ he needed to find his sister. He had sensed her distress in her last phone call with him, had asked if everything was alright and of course she had lied and said it was. She didn't want her baby brother to worry about her. No, he was supposed to stay in New York like a good beta and finish college. _Fat chance,_ his sister and his alpha had been in distress. With those connections combined, there was no way he was going to stay on the other side of the country. 

She had been here recently, her familiar scent lingering over the property. _Time to find her_. His form shifts and after a few moments a wolf occupies the place where he had been standing. Sleek black fur reflected the dim light of the fading sun as he shook, getting used to his new body. Not all werewolves could do this, Derek only knew that his mother and Laura had the ability. He glances back at the entryway of the house before spinning on his haunches, leaving the empty house behind. 

Its well after dark when he catches the scent of intruders and his hackles rise in a territorial anger. _Teenagers._ He snorts sharply, expelling their scent from his nose. One of them reeks of asthma, and Derek can hear the labored breathing of one of the boys as he asked his friend too slow down. When there's no response from the kid's companion, Derek flick his ears back in annoyance. He slips away from them, paws treading carefully over the dead leaves as he retreated. The last thing he needed was someone spotting a wolf around the Hale property.

{ _Panic, because crap they had just been busted._ } The thought strings through his mind, distracting him. It wasn't his emotion that much was clear. Which meant he was close, so close to his mate. The voice was unfamiliar though and the wolf huffs before trudging on.

The thundering of hooves are what catches his attention as the moon rose to its pedestal in the sky. The fear scent that the deer were producing absolutely stank. A strange, alien smell makes its way to him through the wind. Its wolf-like but at the same time feels incredibly wrong. The sharp smell of blood follows the strange scent and then Derek smells her. _Laura?_ His heart swells with hope and he bounds forward after the human leaves the scene.

His momentum is abruptly stopped though, his paws digging into the ground as his vision focused on the body. _Well, half of a body._ He shifts quickly, hands reaching out to roll the female over, his heart seeming to pause in the process. "Laura?" The voice is small and broken and Derek is damned sure its not his. He doesn't sound like that because Laura is not lying lifeless in front of him.

 _Except she is,_ the reality crashes down on him, sending him stumbling to his butt. His alpha, his sister and one of the last remaining family members he had left is dead. Lifeless eyes wide with surprise, her body completely nude. Whatever or whoever had killed her had done so while she was in her wolf form. _Cowards hadn't even had the honor to see her as a person._ His eyes rove the disturbed ground a few feet away and he quickly notices the inhaler. He got up slowly, unwilling to leave Laura alone. Almost as if he thought her body would vanish if he did. 

He flinches in surprise as a car horn blares on the road, the squealing of tires as the vehicle swerved and then silence. _At least it didn't crash._ He sighed, broken and exhausted as he crouched down next to his sister again. He gathered her gently, lifting her with care before beginning the long walk back to the house, the inhaler gripped tightly in his grasp.


	2. Rendezvous in the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek visits Peter and returns home to find Stiles and Scott intruding on his property _again_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, thank you guys for all the love! Your bookmarks, subscriptions, kudos and comments are highly treasured! *snuggles everyone*.

The alcohol didn't do much in terms of making the world seem numb. Swinging the bottle up to his lips was more of a comfort motion more than anything else. The taste was bitter but drinkable. Not that Derek cared. His arm came up to wipe the sweat off of his brow, leaving his forehead smeared with dirt. Another swig from the bottle does little to blunt the anger welling inside of him. One day in Beacon Hills and one less family member. _Thanks for the 'Welcome Home' present._ He snorts before clambering out of the hole, hands slapping together to remove some of the dirt. He bit down on his lip hard, fingers gently running over the tied up bundle that was his sister. _Was...is...doesn't really make a difference._ Not anymore at least.

He lowers her into the shallow grave slowly, placing her on her stomach. Her body was stiff and he felt bile rise in his throat. _What were you looking for, and why here?_ His breath hitched and Derek looked up at the sky. _No,_ there was no way that he was going to sob like a little kid. He'd been there and done that. Derek snarled, low and angry until it rose into a keening howl of grief. It wavered at the apex of the sound, breaking and slowly fading into silence. Derek stood up slowly before using the shovel to cover his sister with dirt. _You deserve so much more than a shallow grave on an abandoned property._

Derek knew that he would have to tell Peter about the latest blow to their family. Was it even worth the drive? _Probably not._ He highly doubted that his uncle would even understand what he was saying. The nurse might care though, she had after all been taking care of a member of their family for six years. He would never admit it but he needed someone to talk to. Needed it desperately. He reached into his jacket pulling out the inhaler and inspecting it closer. **McCall**. The beta frowned and wracked his brain, trying to put a face to the name. _McCall....McCall...McCall...._ It sounded so familiar. _Melinda?_ He shook his head, that didn't sound right. _Melissa_. Yes, that sounded correct. Melissa McCall. 

There hadn't been a woman in the woods last night, merely two high school aged boys. Must have been her son. He sighed, feeling as though he hadn't slept in a century. In reality he was going on close to thirty-two hours without sleep. _Long enough_ , he reasoned holding back what promised to be an impressive yawn. Tucking the inhaler back into the jacket he straightens pushing the weariness to the back of his mind.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Hi, I'm here to see my uncle, Peter Hale." Derek was leaning against the counter somewhat impatiently. He might be a werewolf but even his stamina had its limits. The red head smiled sweetly and the beta inhaled, memorizing her scent and storing it for future knowledge. Her movements were stiff, as if she was sore and Derek narrowed his eyes as he watched her walk. There was something wrong with the way she moved, with the way she said his uncle's name. Like she knew him and had conversations with him, in which he would actually respond. _But that's impossible. Pete hasn't spoken in six years._

He entered the room slowly and thanked Jennifer for her time. "Hey Pete." He looked into his uncle's eyes, desperately searching for a sign of recognition. "Don't know if you can hear me, or even understand what I'm saying..." His voice broke off and the beta turned away, a fist clenching before opening as he smacked a palm against the wall out of frustration. "L...la..." He can't bring himself to say it. If he says it then its true, and he's not dreaming. "Its just us." He finally chokes the words out, electing not to outright say that Laura was dead. If Peter was still in there he would be able understand. _And if not?_ He snorts bitterly, _It wouldn't make a difference._

Derek glanced back one last time, the same stupid look on his uncle's face greeted him and he sighed. He might as well be the last Hale.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When Derek returned to his house he smells something oddly familiar. { _Aawoooo, you know, like a werewolf?_ } It stops him dead in his tracks, feeling like the air had just been knocked out of him. His mate knew about werewolves? { _C'mon Scott, obviously I'm just kidding._ } And just like that Derek felt his heart sink. He hadn't even realized that it had been suspended by the hope of his mate's knowledge making their meeting a whole lot less awkward. But his mate was close, very close. He sniffed the air again, eyes closing. _Scott McCall._ His mother worked in the hospital, he'd met her briefly when his uncle was first admitted. _That's why the name was familiar._ She was a nice lady, one that had genuinely cared about what would happen to Derek and Laura.

He takes off, following the fresh scents until he can see both of the boys. They're lean, not overly muscular but not lacking muscle either. Lean was a good description. He watched them fumble around in the leaves for a few moments, amused by their antics. The taller of the two never spoke, not verbally at least. Moving closer Derek could see that he was signing almost a mile a minute. Its only when he moved in closer that he was noticed.

{ _Surprise,_ } the emotion confuses him and Derek tilted his head slightly. _Stiles._ His name was Stiles. The boys smelled the same as the interlopers from last night and it was undeniable that Scott was the one that spoke. Otherwise he would've heard the other telling Scott to slow down. "What are you doing here?" Both of the teenagers stiffen but remain silent. "This is private property." Fear scent flooded the air and Derek twitched one of his eyebrows up in amusement. It was nice to know that he was intimidating.

: _Sorry, we didn't know._ : The flurry of hand motions only made Derek cock his head to the side even more and the one named Stiles looked frustrated. 

"We were just... looking for something." Scott answers, feet shifting nervously. 

_So he was the one leaking the fear scent,_ Derek held back a snort of amusement as he strode forward. _Ah, yes.... the inhaler._ The beta snagged it out of his jacket pocket and tossed it before blinking in surprise when Scott caught it. _Not my problem._ If the kid had gotten bitten by the thing that smelled so incredibly wrong last night it was not his problem. _Nope, not here to babysit hormonal teenage werewolves._ He had enough problems to deal with right now. So instead of staying, Derek turned and walked off, resolutely fixating his gaze straight ahead.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Stiles Stilinski liked to think that he didn't startle easily. Especially when he was in the woods around the skeleton of the Hale property. His father had been one of the first responders on the scene. When he'd gotten home he had been covered in soot and ashes, face drawn and eyes exhausted. It was only a few weeks later when Stiles had learned what had transpired that night. 

The Hales had been having a family reunion, playing games in the basement when someone had locked them inside and set the house on fire. Men, women, children and infants. All of them trapped and burned alive.k After that Stiles had rarely seen Laura or Derek and eventually the two had moved out of town, no doubt unable to cope with what had happened. 

So when Derek Hale had appeared out of nowhere, Stiles had been understandably surprised. The older man looked tired, circles under his eyes and while his gait had been strong and confident there had been an underlying tone of weariness. _And holy crap he was walking over to them, eyes angry at the intrusion._ Stiles tugged on Scott urgently, pulling his friend up and spinning him around so that he saw Derek. 

"What are you doing? This is private property." The tone was clipped and Stiles moved a little closer to Scott.

: _Sorry, we didn't know._ : He signed the apology quickly before sighing in frustration when Derek tilted his head in confusion. _Oh, for the love of God,_ the mental groan vented. Its only when Derek produces the inhaler that Stiles narrowed his eyes, mind churning. _So he was out here last night, and Scott said that the body was here._ But the body had been gone as had the inhaler. _Crap,_ because the only reason someone would move a body and not contact the police would be because they had killed the person. 

: _Dude, that was Derek Hale._ : The signs were rushed and Stiles grunted when Scott's eyes remained blank. : _Derek, one of the few Hales left after the house was burned down with most of the family inside it...._ :

"Wonder what he's doing back." Scott sounded like he was thinking hard.

Stiles shrugged, : _I don't know._ : His eyes wandered back to where Derek had been standing. The leaves were hardly disturbed, something Stiles found to be extremely odd. The guy hadn't been placing his steps that carefully. He motioned to Scott, ready to go and waited impatiently until the latter conceded. Something strange was happening and Stiles narrowed his eyes. He might not know what was going on now, but he was determined to figure it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, your feedback is very valuable to me, so please keep it coming!


	3. Failed Dates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek keeps an eye on the boys and helps Scott when he bails out on Allison.

The wolf huffed in disapproval from where it hid on the outskirts of the woods that bordered the lacrosse field. He had been inexplicably drawn to the field, his every instinct screamed at him to come to this spot. There was absolutely no doubt in his mind that Scott McCall was a newly turned werewolf. _Just in time for the full moon._ The creature snorted in disdain before lying down, ears twitching as he stayed alert for possible threats. 

{ _Dread, pure unfiltered dread._ } The wolf perked up, eyes roving over the field in an acute interest. _You and me both buddy._ The sigh rocked his frame and the wolf lowered its head. He really wasn't prepared to take on the monumental task of training a new werewolf. _Let alone one with raging teenager hormones._ Large paws covered the black snout at the thought because he really wasn't looking forward to dealing with high school drama. 

He could leave Scott to his own devices and hope for the best but he'd been raised better than that. Besides, even if he did let Scott do his own thing, Derek would probably find himself having to deal with the repercussions. It was easier to avoid a mess to begin with. Laura would have been good at this, much better than him anyways. Movement from bench brought him out of his thoughts and narrowed his eyes when realized the Stilinski boy was with Scott again. Were the two of them attached at the hip? It could serve as a serious problem, what with Stiles being the Sheriff's son. If Scott killed him then just about every hunter in the country would be drawn to Beacon Hills.  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Derek followed them to Stilinski house out of a precaution more than anything else. Tonight would be a full moon but that didn't mean that the side-effects of being a werewolf would wait until nightfall to rear their head. Irritability could easily lead to murder when one couldn't control their body properly. He growled softly in annoyance as a robin landed on the bush that served as his concealment. The bird merely chirped at him before having the audacity to step off the branch and in between the wolf's ears.

A backpack thudded against the carpet in Stiles' room and he heard Scott laughing. The bird skittered down his neck, beak rummaging through the thick black fur. He flicked his ears in annoyance, trying to concentrate on what was happening inside the house. A loud bang followed by a surprised gasp and the wolf shot to his feet. { _Fear._ } Derek snarled, ears flat against his skull with a sense of protectiveness that he hadn't felt for anything in six long years. Sure, he had been protective of Laura, but not... not to this degree. This was something else, what exactly, he wasn't sure.

{ _Relief._ } Derek's eyes tracked Scott with silence as the teen stalked over to his bike and the wolf growled when he realized that the kid's nails were elongated. The boy hadn't noticed yet, because if he had, Derek was pretty sure he'd be watching a nuclear level freak out. _Would have made for some good entertainment._ The bird chirped again before lowering its beak and grabbing a mouthful of fur. It yanked its head up sharply and Derek yelped in surprise. The blinds moved in Stiles' window and the wolf took off.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

He tracked them to party later in the night and scowled, head thunking against the leather headrest of his Camaro. _Perfect._ Kid really knew how to put himself in the worst scenarios possible, for a new wolf at least. { _Energy and laughter._ } Derek whined softly because really, this was just cruel. How was his mate everywhere and nowhere at the same time? Derek always looked for him whenever the emotions raced across their connection and every damn time his search turned up with nothing. He huffed before ducking down when the Sheriff's kid glanced over at the Camaro.

The kid was everywhere. If Derek hadn't been the one doing the following then he would have been damn sure Stilinski was stalking him. He shook his head quickly, lowering his gaze until the seriousness left. When he looked up, he looked like any other carefree individual showing up at a party. He paced around to the back of the property and hopped the fence, his pack instincts drawing him almost immediately to Scott. 

It was the dog that alerted Scott to Derek's presence and the older beta glared back at the animal, causing it to cease its barking almost immediately. Scott's eyes narrowed and Derek shook his head in disapproval. It was the girl, _Allison, was that her name_? He grunted before vaulting back over the fence.

{ _Concern_ }. Derek snorted in amusement. _Right on par, yet again._ He was starting to wonder if his mate was himself. _Narcissitic much?_ The squeal of tires jerked his attention back into the now and he frowned when he recognized that it was Scott's car that had peeled off. The change must have started and for once Derek was relieved that the boy had left his sight. It meant that he was isolated and isolated was good. Isolated meant that there was less of a chance of someone getting killed tonight. 

The girl was standing on the sidewalk, mouth pulled down in a frown of disappointment. Pity washed through Derek and he sighed before plastering a care free smile on his face. "Hi," the greeting was light, "I'm a friend of Scott's." He watched as her stance relaxed when he mentioned Scott. "I'm Derek." There was no point in giving her a last name as he led her over to the camaro. "I know this probably isn't what you had in mind for this evening, but I can give you a ride home." He walked around to the passenger door and opened it for her.

"Thank you," she took off her jacket, bunching it into a ball. "Is... Scott okay?"

Derek looked away for a moment because no, Scott was not okay. In fact, the kid was a long ways away from being okay. "Yeah, he's been feeling under the weather and thought that he'd be able to do tonight. I told him it probably wasn't a good idea but.... Scott is stubborn and didn't want to disappoint you." Her slow smile told him that he'd sold the story. _Good._

She was asleep by the time that he pulled into the drive, the jacket forgotten on the floorboard. He woke her gently and she offered him another tentative smile as she left and Derek didn't bother to remind her that she'd left her jacket.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

He'd hung it in one of the trees, figuring that sooner or later Scott would latch onto the scent and follow it. Whether or not it was driven by protectiveness or some kind of primal need, Derek didn't know. What he did know was the idiotic teenager was making a shit ton of noise. 

"I know you took her!"

 _Thank you, Sherlock._ The mental snark made him distracted him momentarily and he shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Scott was practically right next to him now, and he rolled his eyes at the kid's ignorance. The best way to encourage vigilance was still instill a moment of terror. _Lesson one, this won't be repeated so pay attention._ Their momentum rolled them down the hill, each of them struggiling to come out of as the more dominant beta. He's really not all that surprised when he manages to come out on top, using his strength to pin the kid against a nearby tree.

"What did you do with her?" The question was both enraged and terrified.

"Ssssh," the rustling of the leaves catches his attention. He groaned internally as the footsteps grew closer. "Too late, they're already here." Derek heaved, pulling the kid to his feet. "Run." He's fairly certain that Scott would have gotten away had it not been for the flash-arrow. The light blinded both of them and in that moment a second arrow sailed through the air and pinned the younger beta to the tree. It was Scott's cry that managed to help him shake off the lingering effects of the flash, and he snarled angrily. 

He'd already failed at protecting the kid. The hunters were smug, standing in a delta formation and Derek whizzed by, snatching one and throwing the man against a tree. His foe slumped down, out for the count. One down, two to go. The second one never knew what hit him and the older beta flashed a quick look at the remaining man. The hunter stood still and Derek decided to leave him be. He darted forward, huffing a quick apology to Scott as he yanked the arrow out of the kid's arm. Making sure that Scott stayed in front of him, Derek muttered encouragement before finally slowing his pace until they were stopped. 

"Those were hunters." Derek answered before the question could even leave the teen's lips. "The kind that has been hunting us for centuries." He leaned over, resting his weight against the tree. "What you have... what you are... is something that others would kill for. Its a gift and its not one to be used as a toy."

"But, I don't want it." The sputtered protest was filled with terror.

 _Was this kid afraid of everything?_ He supposed that he shouldn't blame him. "You're going to need to learn how to control it, and to do that? You and me, we're brothers now." The last part was snarled before Derek spun on his heels. "Now get home, the road is to the left."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wohooo! We made it through the first episode! 
> 
> *opens up some champagne*
> 
> Again, I am blown away by the amount of support this story is getting, and I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!


	4. Betrayal and Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A voice is discovered but still remains silent as Derek deals with the 'raging hormones of a teenage werewolf'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay guys! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! <3

Their scent reeked, filling the property with the smell of raging teenager hormones and panic. The wolfsbane flower was gone, evidently pulled up by the boys ad Derek groaned in frustration. The dirt over his sister's grave had been hastily packed in, two sets of footprints surrounding the disturbed earth. His mate had been radiating an apprehensive fear little over an hour ago, the feeling growing increasingly stronger the closer Derek got to home. 

The police would no doubt be coming in the morning, as Scott had made it blatantly clear that he wanted to play in the lacrosse game Saturday night. The best way to get what he wanted? _Remove the big bad wolf from the picture._ Derek's head thunked against the side of the house before he sneezed as dust and soot crowded the air for a few seconds. He stood up slowly, joints creaking before he cast a final glance at the shallow grave. 

Tomorrow was going to be a long day and he might as well get some sleep now.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

They had found the body and Stiles didn't know if he ought to be thrilled or disgusted by the discovery. His knees bounced apprehensively as he waited for his dad to get home. His thumb brushed over the picture of the girl, her eyes wide and skin covered in filth, before sighing and turning the screen off. He had at least been smart enough to gather proof of the discovery.

"Stiles?" John's voice seemed to echo around the foyer, "What are you doing up so late?"

: _Hey, Dad._ : He signed the greeting quickly, fingers fumbling. : _Kind of found something tonight._ :

"Kind of?" John sat down with a sigh, "Stiles...."

: _I found a body._ : He would leave Scott out of this as much as he could. : _Well, half of a body. Going to have nightmares for the rest of my life._ : Stiles hadn't counted on his father looking more vexed than pleased by the news. Of course, he had expected some level of disappointment but not the complete silence that stretched between them as his dad raised his gaze to the ceiling.

John ran a hand over his face, "Where?"

// _The old Hale place._ // Stiles scribbled the location onto a pad of paper, passing it over to his father. : _Dad, be careful._ :

"Don't worry about me, you however..." John scowled before checking his watch. "You need to get to bed."

The teen nodded, a pit of worry growing in his stomach as he wondered what Scott's real motivations for taking Derek out of the picture were.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

: _Are you sure that you aren't doing this because Derek said that you couldn't play tonight?_ : The question was hesitant as the two boys shuffled around outside of the remains of the Hale house. They still had time to warn the older beta, to change their minds and not assume the absolute worst of a guy they barely knew. He lifted a cup of hot chocolate up to his mouth, sipping at the warm substance while he waited for a response.

"Yes, I'm sure." Scott's tone was clipped and he shot a look over at his companion. "I thought you wanted to nail the guy?"

Stiles choked, his tongue and throat burning as the liquid lingered just a few seconds too long. Setting the thermos on the hood of his Jeep, Stiles spun around to face Scott. : _What?_ : He's pretty sure he messed up the sign, hands fluttering around far too fast for it to be recognizable. Sure, Derek was good looking....more than good looking but.... _The guy is kind of creepy._

Movement from the house caught his attention and he felt a brief flash of relief when he noticed that Derek was actually complying with the police. If anything, the older man just looked hurt, like they had betrayed him in the worst way possible. 

**I will forgive but I won't forget.**

The sudden blast of song made Stiles jump, eyes searching wildly for the culprit. The headlights to Derek's Camaro were on, staring at Stiles accusingly. _Don't look at me like that, its not my fault your owner is a sociopath._

 **Does it run in your blood to betray the ones you lo-**. The stereo cut off abruptly and one of the police officers clambered out of the car. The headlights dimmed and Stiles swallowed thickly. : _I'll be right back_ : He didn't bother to give Scott time to reply as he snatched a notepad and a pencil out of his backpack. His gaze flickered all over the place as he strode over to the squad car. After another glance to make sure that no one had seen him, he climbed into the passenger's seat and twisted around so that he was facing the older werewolf.

// _The girl you buried, she wasn't like a normal werewolf, was she? She could turn into a full wolf and I know Scott can't do that. Is that why you killed her?_ // Stiles wasn't sure what reaction he'd been expecting but it certainly wasn't a snort of amusement. 

"Why are you so worried about me when the real problem is your friend? If he loses control tonight do you really think that the crowd will keep cheering him on? That things won't get particularly messy?" There was a sense of regret behind the biting tone. "I can't stop him from playing, but you can." Derek leaned closer and Stiles looked away nervously as the smell of mint filled the air. _So he does have hygiene standards._ "And believe me when I say that you want to."

The only thing Stiles felt after those words was dread.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was evident that Stiles had failed to do as suggested as soon as Derek set foot on the turf. Anger coursed through the length of his body and short, irritated puffs hit the night air. The game was over and most of the players had already left the field, but Derek didn't care about them. His gaze was fixated on the discarded glove in the middle of the field and the young man that was picking it up. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Scott had deliberately ignored him and participated in the game. The fact that number thirty-seven was staring at the fingertips of the discarded glove with a look of confusion confirmed what Derek had been dreading. McCall had lost control and shifted, at least partially, in the middle of the game.

 _Pompous little shit,_ the beta seethed mentally, casting a scathing glare in thirty-seven's direction before stalking off of the field. It wasn't that he was opposed to the sport of lacrosse or to the kid getting to play it. The only Derek was requesting of the boy was to wait. Wait to play until he had learned to control the shift, to wait so that he didn't commit an irreversible act of violence. _Which is, apparently, too much to ask._

He waited until he was out of sight before he started to strip down. The chill in the air bit at his skin, causing a small shiver to run the length of his frame. He folded the clothes and tied the sneakers together, setting the connected laces over the bundle. Derek paused, a faint feeling of relief rushing over the connection he shared with his mate. He shrugged, body hunching and contorting painfully until the man was replaced with a wolf.

Jaws gaped open before clamping shut around the clothes and Derek suppressed the urge to spit the pile back out. He wasn't sure that he'd ever get used to the way the material tasted when his senses were this heightened. With a quick flick of his tail, the wolf vanished into the night.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

He avoided Scott McCall for the next two weeks, the other beta's betrayal had hurt. Derek supposed that he should be used to being bitterly disappointed in the people around him but he had hoped that the kid would listen. He stayed hidden, usually traveling around as a wolf as he stalked the boy in order to make sure that nothing would happen.

The pattern continued, every muscle in Derek's body tensed with a sense of dread because his luck never ran this long without a disaster looming on the horizon. He slept only enough to remain functioning, only occasionally grabbing a bite to eat. Exhaustion ate at his every move and he'd only just fallen asleep when he heard it. The beta knew that it wasn't Scott's howl purely because of the amount of power that was contained in the noise. _The alpha._

Derek rolled out of the bed, not bothering to dress. He skipped the stairs, electing to jump them before opening the door and scenting the air. He shifted, forcing the process along with a sense of urgency. If the alpha was calling then it meant that Scott would be driven to answer. His fur bristled with dread, fear coursing through his veins as he took off, sprinting through the woods. He needed to reach the kid before the teen could get to the alpha. 

The wolf was darting between a pair of oak trees when he felt the cold jaws of a trap snap shut around his pastern. Eyes widened in surprise before Derek was jerked backward, bones snapping from the sudden change in direction. A yelp left him before he could silence himself, and he picked himself up slowly, left fore-leg dangling limply just above the ground. 

Precious seconds were ticking by and the beta snarled in frustration, jaws clamping around the trap. The metal bit into his mouth, cutting across his tongue as he strained. The trap hadn't been intended for a wolf, it was far too large to be. _Must have been set out for a mountain lion_ , not that it mattered because he was the one stuck in trap. He could shift back into human form but he wasn't sure if there was anyone around. He growled, grip tightening on the cold metal before wrenching his head up and to the left. There was a moan as the steel bent, its frame contorting before snapping and breaking off of the base. _Better than nothing._

At least now he was free to move, and Derek didn't hesitate to resume the frantic dash to where the howl had sounded from. Each step was agony, the pain pulsating and distracting him as he skittered around trees and shouldered through the thick brush. It didn't take long to reach the school, but by the time he arrived the air was thick with the smell of blood. _Shit._ If Scott had hunted with the alpha tonight then the teen would now be bonded to it. The gate in front of the school was open and Derek cautiously went through it. The stench was sickening but the wolf forced himself to enter the school bus, eyes closing as he let his sense of smell take over. 

[ _Hands gripped desperately at the back of the seat, muttering frantic nothings under his breath. The snarl behind him only increased his panic, eyes raising before widening in recognition. Scott? What the hell was Scott McCall doing here? The bus driver didn't have time to think much about it, claws hooked around his ankle jerking sharply and suddenly his legs went out from under him. McCall edged towards him, panic on his face as the teen attempted to grab his hand._ ]

The beta reeled back, senses overloaded with the data. Scott had failed to join the alpha in their first hunt together and had even tried to defy the other creature's wishes. _Good job kid, you just told the boss hog to fuck off._ It was better than the alternative, sort of. At the very least, Derek had more time to try to get through to the inexperienced beta.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The trap lay, mostly, forgotten in the corner of the kitchen as Derek stretched, tentatively putting weight on the newly healed leg. It twinged slightly but was far better than it had been last night. He straightened when he heard someone call his name, desperate with worry and the beta realized it was Scott. 

"I know you can hear me." There was a slight pause and Derek could hear the kid shuffle uncomfortably. "I need your help."

 _Of course you do._ The thought was dark, snickering in the corner of his mind. _But who says that I want to help you?_

"Please."

Kid must be really desperate to have added a please to the end of his request. Derek sighed and headed to the front door, opening it slowly before barking a sharp, "What?"

"Okay, I know I was a part of you getting arrested and pretty much announced your presence to all the hunters in the area but..." Scott was breathless, the words cramming together before fading at the end. "Something happened last night and...."

"You want to know if you're responsible." Derek finished, eyes still hard as he folded his arms over his chest. "But at the same time you don't really care. What you really want to know is if you could possibly hurt her."

Scott flinched, gaze lowering, "Y-yeah.... I guess, just.... please, I need to know."

"I'll tell you how to see things, how to feel things that have recently taken place.... but it won't be for free." _Nope, not for free._ Derek had been nice enough to do that before and he'd found himself sitting in a jail cell as a repayment for his generosity. 

Scott slumped, his mouth turning down. "What's the price?"

"The price? The price is that you need to take my advice seriously. I know that you lost control at the game and I also know that one of your classmates is starting to collect clues." He paused, "As for your answer, you can tell what happened by going back to the scene. Remember that you are part wolf, let the wolf touch, smell and hear. It might take some time but it pays off."

"If you'd like to learn something else...." Derek opened the door, inviting Scott into the house. The teen obeyed the silent command, mouth working nervously. "This is going to be your first lesson." Derek took his jacket off, tossing the material onto the remains of the kitchen table. "There are three types of wolves." The shirt fell to the floor as well, Derek's muscles rippling under his skin. 

"What're you doing?" Scott was looking anywhere but at the older beta in front of him.

"You see my tattoo?" Derek presented the kid with his back. "It serves as a reminder of the ranks and how each one can rise or fall into the other." The shirt slipped back on and Derek turned to face him. "The lowest rank is the omega. Wolves are stronger in a pack and omegas are the ones without a pack. Usually. There are times when they have so little say within their pack that they don't count as a beta." Derek paused and let the information sink in.

"So... are we omegas?" The kid was trying to pay attention.

 _Good,_ the more Scott could take in, the better. "No, at least not officially. Most omegas become what they are when their pack rejects them and sometimes they just prefer to be without a pack." 

"Are you an omega?"

The question caught him off guard and Derek looked away. "No. My pack, my family, was murdered. There's a difference."

"Oh," Scott looked genuinely apologetic.

"We are betas. Most of the time people confuse a beta with being the second in command." Derek tapped the banister. "Instead its a broader term. If you're not the alpha or the omega of the pack then you are a beta. Technically we are still betas because I was never kicked out of my pack, nor did I leave voluntarily. You are still a beta because you haven't outright refused to be in a pack. In a way, you're a member of two packs at the moment. The alpha has claimed you, but you resist the claim and instead hang out with me."

Scott was scribbling on his hand, the ink smearing as he groaned in frustration. "What are you doing?" The question caused him to jump and took a moment to breathe and glance up. Derek looked confused, his head cocked to the side curiously. "Taking notes, Stiles will want to know all of this stuff."

For some reason that statement pleased Derek and he nodded in approval. "Nice, but not necessary. I've already written up a packet filled with notes for your friend to figure out."

"Figure out?" The question echoed around the now empty foyer as Scott looked around, trying to figure out where the older beta had gone. 

"He's intellectual, yes?" The voice came from the top of the stairs. "And he plays games?"

"Yeah..." A booklet of paper was placed into Scott's hands. 

"Good, tell him its written in the language of the dovah." Derek walked back around in front of Scott. 

"You play games?" The incredulous tone escaped Scott's mouth before he could stop it.

"No, but I know Stiles does, just like I know that the internet does not hold all the answers." Derek waved a hand, dismissing the question before it could even leave the kid's mouth. "Now, back to the current subject."

Scott nodded, tucking the neat booklet under his jacket while he tried to figure out whether or not he should be concerned by the amount of information Derek knew about both himself and Stiles.

"An alpha is the highest rank that a wolf can hope to hold within a pack. Only an alpha can turn people into a were-beast, and they are the most dangerous of the three ranks. An alpha can easily inflict permanent damage on the lower ranks, their claws and teeth taking much longer to heal from. If you ever come into close contact with an alpha..." Derek sighed, a small glimmer of worry in his eyes. "Howl for help. I'll come, and I'll help you to the best of my abilities. Same goes for your friends, if one of them somehow gets tangled up with an alpha, you tell me before trying to take action."

The teen blinked owlishly, clearly not expecting the level of concern that was radiating from his older companion. "Thanks."

Derek merely grunted, eyes flickering to the now fading light. "You'd best go home, and I would prefer it if you gave Stiles that book tonight."  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

{ _Joy, happiness and excitement._ } His mate's emotions flooded over their connection almost an hour after Scott had left the house. A slow smile spilled across Derek's face because he finally knew. _Stiles Stilinski was the voice inside his head._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and yes, it does deviate from the canon in some ways but sticks with it in other ways. I wanted to make it so that Derek acted like the mentor we all know that he could be.
> 
> ##### Some Disclaimers/Info
> 
> -The lyrics used in this chapter are from the song _Blood_ by **Papa Roach**.  
>  -The language of the dovah is the language of the dragons, and is used in the Elder Scrolls games.  
> -Derek may have finally figured out who the voice in his head belongs to, but without a verbal confirmation the bond can not be truly activated. As such, Derek will never fully be able to claim Stiles as his mate unless he can get him to talk. Also, the kid doesn't like him much so they have a bit to go in that department as well.


	5. She's Venemous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek struggles to reach the boys after being shot by Kate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, I've had to change certain aspects of this episode in order to make it work with a mute!Stiles, as such you will notice differences. Because really, its impossible to make it safe for Stiles to be driving and talking to Derek. (Its bad enough he was texting and driving in the actual episode, bad Stiles, bad!) That being said, I hope you guys are still enjoying this, (alarming lack of comments lately?) and as always your support is treasured and hoarded. Like chocolate in a fridge, so that it never melts...
> 
> I've also broken this chapter into two parts, the next half will be posted by Thursday... hopefully... depends on how pleased I am with it.

_Animal attacks, really?_ The woman snorted in disdain before flicking the dial to another station. She'd grown up here, the streets still familiar and for a brief moment it felt like she had never left. There was something _wrong_ and if felt like eyes were following her, judging her and then condemning. She twisted, looking over her shoulder before the sudden blare of a car horn jolted her gaze back onto the road. She flinched, foot stomping down on the brakes as the headlights from the truck blinded her. The other vehicle swerved, the alarmed eyes of the other driver meeting her own for a split second. She exhaled, head thunking against her seat's headrest. "Nice Kate, nice." She closed her eyes, trying to calm her shaking hands and refocus her attention elsewhere. 

The sound of something large landing on the roof of her car was an excellent distraction. She looked up, watching the ceiling with dread as guttural snarls sounded from above her. _Great,_ she reached back, hand seeking the comfort of her shotgun. There was another snarl and the driver's side window shattered, a clawed hand snatching at the air with a wild frenzy. She threw her weight forward as the paw wrapped around her left arm, flailing in an attempt to both get to the gun and avoid being pulled out of the window. If she did get dragged out of her car then she was dead. 

A savage grin of relief flooded across her face as she gripped the butt of the gun, the cool metal a welcomed texture. Thrusting her elbow back, she managed to loosen the beast's grip and she ducked, drawing her left arm down until she managed to get her hand on the gun. The shotgun blasted, the bullet penetrating the roof of her car with ease as she kicked open the side door. She must have hit it, because monster was gone. Rolling, she brought her legs up and under until she was able to thrust her momentum into a standing position. 

_Welcome back to Beacon Hills,_ the grim smirk lit her face up in amusement. "Come on!" She yelled the challenge, striding forward a few steps and added another shotgun blast for good measure. "Come on!" When nothing responded to her challenge, Kate popped the trunk of her car, grabbing her assault rifle and one of her _magic bullets_. Movement on the rooftop caught her eye and Kate Argent didn't hesitate to pull the trigger.  
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When he'd left earlier in the evening to try to track the alpha, Derek hadn't counted on suddenly hearing _her_ voice and he certainly hadn't been planning on falling off of rooftops. Which was ironic, because both of those things were happening and the beta couldn't wrap his head around the _why_. The air was pushed out of his lungs and he instinctively tried to inhale, to refill the organs with precious oxygen. Which was all fine and dandy except as soon as he managed to claim the air, it was forced back out. His shoulders hit the concrete first, the impact jarring his body with enough force to snap a couple of his ribs. A shuddering groan escaped him, lungs still desperately sucking in as much air as possible. 

_Fuck_ , the movement hurt, hazel eyes opening slowly as he tried to figure out where he had fallen. Pushing himself up, he noted that the ribs were already knitting themselves back together, and for that he was relieved. He rocked to the left, trying to get enough momentum going to roll to his feet before gasping when his arm buckled under the strain.

 _And shit, that hurt._ It should have already started to heal by now and the beta furrowed his brows, feet managing to scoot his body up against the side of the building. There were two voices now, one of them was a male and Derek bit his lip in effort to remain silent. Black lines were already starting to spread from the wound and Derek closed his eyes with a heavy sigh. 

The beta wasn't sure how long he stayed propped up against the wall, tremors starting to ripple their way through his frame. Jaw muscles worked silently as Derek pulled his feet underneath him, heaving as he straightened his legs until he was standing. Hazel eyes slipped shut, a soft puff of exhaustion filled the air as weak legs gave out and the werewolf found himself resting against the ground again. { _Mind was racing, pencil rasping against paper and then the overwhelming feeling of victory._ } Derek snorted as he let his mate's emotions travel across their bond, _well, at least that makes one of us._  
_______________________________________________________

His stamina was dangerously close to empty by the time the school appeared within viewing distance. The steady dripping of blood was a constant, his arm heavy as it complained about every movement his body made. Sweat was beading on his brow, most of the time he was able to blink it away but there were a few times when the salty water would run into his eyes. He needed to get to McCall and Stillinski, needed their help but his mind was still stumbling over how he would ask for it.

He could describe in detail about how he was able to disembowel Scott and hang him up in a tree by his intestines if he deemed it necessary. _Too brutal and messy,_ reason chimed in the corner of his mind and Derek growled at the voice. Mrs. McCall would no doubt be working right now and if he thought he could muster the energy to do so, he would swing by the empty McCall house and grab an article of her clothing. _The only thing that would do is piss Scott off._ A low groan escaped him as he conceded to the voice. Derek frowned, leaning his weight against a nearby tree. 

The inside of his jacket was sticky and wet, pressing and plastering the shirt underneath it to the wound. He wasn't sure how much blood he'd lost but it was _enough_ , because his world was tilting and spinning. Derek pushed off from the tree, eyes fixated on the ground as he placed each foot with care. What he _wanted_ was to turn around and make his way home. Every instinct was screaming at him to return to the house, to try and ride whatever the hell _this_ was out. 

_Can't,_ the voice crept back into the forefront of his mind and he was loathe to admit that it was right. _She_ would be waiting for him, gun loaded and rod set to high. The code meant nothing to _her_ , she'd made that painfully clear when she'd burned his family alive. A small shiver traveled down his spine and he shook his head in an effort to clear it. He wasn't even sure that _she_ was in town. Thinking and knowing were two completely different things, although the thought alone was enough to deter him.  
__________________________________________________

The spasms don't start until he has number thirty-seven pinned against the lockers, the wolfsbane disorienting him enough to make act on the defensive as soon as the teen placed a hand on his shoulder. _Not a threat_ , the thought screamed through his mind as he jerked back. Guilt flashed over him when the teen gasped, body struggling weakly before twisting around to stare at the retreating beta. 

He slipped out of sight as quickly as he could in an attempt to deter the kid from following him. The last thing he needed right now was to have thirty-seven hammering him with question after question. Not when the wolf was yearning to be set free so that it could try to outrun the poison that was destroying its body. _Concentrate._ The voice demanded, sounding suspiciously like his mother. 

_Music was blasting from headphones and a couple of girls were talking about plans for tonight. Another girl was chewing gum, mouth wide open,_ at least it sounded like she was chewing with her mouth open. _"-tt coming over?"_ Derek leaned against the wall as he attempted to tune out the other noise. _"After school, we're just studying."_

 _Right, par-_ the shrillness of the school bell pierced through his skull and he flinched before his eyes roved around in attempt to place the culprit of the noise. A low growl rumbled from his chest once he realized that he had chosen to take refuge right under the damn thing.  
_______________________________________________

The beta doesn't know how he got back to the parking lot, energy almost completely burned up as he shuffled across the cement. He was in the process of turning to the side when he spotted the Jeep. The engine was running and he could hear the gears shift as the vehicle was put in reverse. _No, no, no...._ Panic crashed over him, rendering him inert. 

"Hey, you feeling okay?" There was a hand brushing against his back, the touch delicate and unsure of itself.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He forces the smile, subtly shifting his left arm until it was pointed up in an attempt to keep the blood from dripping. The girl eyed him, large eyes assessing and gauging before her shoulders shrugged and she walked away. 

An engine rumbled and Derek hissed before forcing his legs to move. _Get in front of it_ , the voice was urging him and when he stumbled into a parked Camry it merely told him to keep going. _Keep going or die._ Sucking in as much air as he could, Derek managed to weave his way out from between parked cars and directly in front of the blue Jeep. { _Holy mother of God,_ } was the level of panic that radiated from his mate as a foot hit the brakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't know about you guys, but I am _really_ looking forward to the next chapter. After all, Derek and Stiles had to have talked about _something_ while they waited on Scott. Or perhaps Stiles talked and Derek being Derek just listened all broody and silent like?


	6. When Bonds are Forged

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Its hard to not start a bond with someone when they spend the afternoon dying in your passenger seat. Even if that person is usually grumpy and intimidating.

Stiles Stillinski really wasn't in the mood to deal with supernatural problems, his fingers gripping the clutch as he threw the Jeep into reverse. The gears clicked as the vehicle shifted and the teen winced slightly at the noise. He shoved the gear stick into drive and settled his foot over the gas. Whiskey colored eyes glanced down at the cup holder with a small frown, _really Scott? You can't take two seconds from Allison to answer a text?_ The distraction nearly cost him his heart, the organ practically jumping out of his chest when a man shuffled in front of the Jeep. _Oh. My. God._ His foot stomped on the brakes, because the guy looked like crap and Stiles wasn't sure how he'd handle a collision even at a low speed. His vehicle rocked to a stop and Stiles squinted in an attempt to make out the figure before him. _Derek Hale?_ He cocked a head in confusion. _Points off on the entrance._ There were plenty of ways to announce you presence to someone but stepping out in front of a vehicle had to be one of the worst. The frowned deepened when the beta swayed, legs staggering as he tried to keep his balance. The war that Derek was waging against his body evidently wasn't going well because the werewolf, _fucking drama queen_ , collapsed onto the asphalt. 

Annoyed honks were already starting to fill the air and Stiles pinched the bridge of his nose before clambering out of the Jeep. Scott was already here, already talking and the human felt an enormous tidal wave of relief crash through him. He was trying to asses the beta's condition when the hazel eyes looked up. _And holy fucking shit,_ he was locking eyes with Derek Hale. He'd expected them to be blank, wiped clear of any emotion and what he found was a whirlpool of feelings. They looked foreign on the older man and Stiles felt his stomach sink when he realized that Derek hadn't dropped the barriers that he kept around himself. The subtle changes in expression indicated that the werewolf was too exhausted and in too much pain to keep the stoic facade from breaking. It was a kick in the balls that Stiles _really_ didn't need.

 _Shot, he was shot by someone_. Pieces of the conversation filtered through his thoughts as he peered over Scott's shoulder. Derek was hunched over, left arm tucked closely to his torso while his chest heaved, a small grunt of effort forcing itself between a clenched jaw as the hazel eyes flashed a brilliant blue. _Fuck_ , the thought was already forming before the older beta confirmed it. Whatever he'd been shot with was messing with his control. _And control is everything to a werewolf_ , Stiles swallowed because they were screwed. The honking was increasing in fervor and people were starting to gawk at them.

"Help me get him in your car," Scott huffed as he moved around Derek, hands pressing against the older beta's back before looping around his waist. The older man looked like a rag doll, body limp as he allowed himself to be manhandled. _And it was disturbingly wrong._

Stiles moved around them, swinging the door open before he jogged around the back of the Jeep. He slid into the driver's seat quickly, a hand flailing as he tried to grab the handle in order to shut the door. It slammed shut and he's pretty sure he saw Derek flinch at the sudden sound. 

"Get him out of here!" Scott sounded desperate as he slapped the side of the Jeep.

: _I hate you so much right now_ : The signing was a frenzy of angry gestures before hands rested on the steering wheel.  
_______________________________________________________________

// _I can't even take you to your own home?_ // The marker squeaked, its tip pressed furiously against the whiteboard. He was pulled over, eyes narrowed and mouth set in an angry line as he glared at the werewolf. He almost felt bad about his outburst when Derek seemed to shrink away from him, jaw muscles flexed and nostrils flared. 

"Not when I can't defend myself." The answer was adamant.

 _And just like that, the bastard won the debate._ Knuckles turned white as Stiles tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He swiped his sleeve over the board, the cap popping off of the marker. // _Then go hide in a den or something._ // He regretted the retort almost instantly and he watched silently as a barrier seemed to slam back up. If he looked closely he could see his own reflection in the hazel orbs. The earthy tones were hardening and it felt like he couldn't breath when he was saw disappointment rear up. _Great, now the grumpiest person he knew was disappointed with him._

"Start the car." The words were forced, a lip curling in order to expose pearly white teeth. "Or I'm going to rip your throat out, with my teeth."

// _What the hell else would you use to rip my throat out?_ // Stiles grouched, marker scribbling over the board. The beta smiled, taking extra care to show off all of his teeth before he lifted a hand. // _What are you doing?_ // The teen's mouth suddenly felt dry, eyes tracking every movement that the hand made. Fingers curled up before snapping back, claws fully extended. // _Oh, right..._ // He twisted the key and the engine roared to life, his hand resting on the clutch with a small frown. // _Are you dying?_ //

Derek blinked at him, a sigh wracking heavy shoulders as he shook his head. "Not yet."

// _Not yet? What the, what do you mean by 'not yet'?_ // His fingers reached out, ignoring the low growl, and began to pull up the sleeve of the werewolf's shirt. The skin underneath was smooth, cold and clammy. Stiles narrowed his eyes, following the cobwebs of black that snaked through the beta's veins. Blood was smeared over the forearm, a smeared mess of an almost black crimson. The fabric of the shirt clung to the fluid, leaving behind tiny fibers as it was separated from the flesh. Derek was talking, a pinched quality to his voice the closer Stiles got to the actual wound. 

_Oh god,_ bile started to rise as the sleeve refused to move, plastered to the injury by the drying blood. He pulled harder once, freezing when the beta snarled, the sound low as it rattled out of Derek's chest. // _Easy, just wanted to see how bad it is._ // There was a pause and then // _How bad is it?_ // Stiles watched, eyes wide as the werewolf shook his head. 

"If..." There was a deep breath as Derek pressed his forehead against the window. "If I have to, I'll get rid of the arm."

 _Get rid of the arm?_ The statement didn't compute, he didn't want it to compute. He's pretty sure that Derek didn't want it to register either. // _I don't think it will come down to that._ // Even on paper the reassurance was weak. // _Scott will find the bullet, he'll bring it to us and you'll be good as new. _//__

__"If he wants to." Derek was still leaning against the window, eyes fixated on something outside._ _

// _How are you even reading this?_ // 

"What do you mean?" There beta's brow furrowed in confusion. 

// _What do I mean?_ // Stiles scribbled. _What the fuck do you think I mean?_ He bit his lip before continuing, // _How are you reading what I'm saying?_ // 

There was an amused huff. "Because you're writing it." 

// _Smart ass, how are you reading what I write?_ // It took Derek several minutes to answer and at one point Stiles thought that the older man might have fallen asleep. He looked like needed sleep, maybe he'd be less grouchy if he got some decent rest. 

"Reflection." The answer was barely above a whisper.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

His stomach rumbled and Stiles shifted, an arm crossing over his abdomen as he tried to get it to settle down. He glanced over at the passenger seat, Derek was out cold. The older man would twitch at times. The long fingers would curl like he was gripping something, a sneaker sometimes kicked at the floor board like he was trying to get somewhere. _Kind of like a dog having a dream_ , he couldn't stop the thought and he let out a snort. He didn't doubt that if he said something along those lines Derek would kill him. Unless he was feeling generous, maybe he'd only get slightly mauled. _One could hope_. 

__It felt like a dick move, key turning in the ignition as he started the car, but he was hungry. There was a Wendy's across the street and the scent was intoxicating. Intoxicating and repulsive at the same time. There would be bucket loads of grease on the food. He frowned, teeth worrying the inside of his cheek as he watched his passenger breathe, the beta's rib cage was moving quickly, jerking with each breath like it was a massive effort. Derek couldn't go inside, not looking like this. It would draw too much attention to make the food worth it. Stiles could leave the Jeep in idle while he got the food but his instincts screamed against it._ _

__He wasn't concerned about Derek driving away, the guy was currently _drooling_ with his forehead still pressed against the window. It would have been oddly adorable if the werewolf wasn't dying. _Dying._ The lump formed in his throat as he thought about the implications of their situation. Stiles might joke about how he wanted the broody and tactless werewolf out of both his and Scott's lives but now it was dangerously close to happening. He swallowed the lump, forcing it to go away as his fingers ghosted above one of the slack shoulders. _ _

_If he wants to._ The words spoken earlier jumped to the forefront of his thoughts. Ever since Derek had started trying to help Scott deal with being a werewolf they had openly shown their disdain for older beta several times. The light turned green and the Jeep bounced over the intersection, the whine was so quiet that he almost didn't hear it. It got louder though when they went over a speed bump and Stiles winced sympathetically. _Sorry_. 

By the time he's parked in front of the restaurant's many windows, the werewolf was awake. Groggy and confused, but awake. // _Look, I'm just going to add myself as a contact in your phone, it'll be easier for me to talk to you that way._ // He was met with silence, the darkness making it nearly impossible to read the beta's expression. // _You can still read this, right?_ // 

There was a minute nod, and then Derek was trying to reach across his own body, the fingers of his good arm scrabbled as he tried to grip his cell phone. The werewolf grunted, unable to reach the device without having to move his injured arm. The limb twitches, acting like Derek is trying to command it to move. Stiles swallowed, a gentle hand resting on one of the broad shoulders, trying to get the older man's attention. Hazel eyes flickered over into his direction, glassy and dull. // _I'll get it._ // 

He doesn't move until Derek nods again, waiting for the approval. The werewolf didn't move, eyes shutting before slipping open. There was a lazy blink and Stiles took that for the, _get it done_. He unbuckled both of them, easing the seat belt around the beta before letting it snap back into its holder. Closing his eyes, the teen slid his hand into pant pocket before recoiling when he realized that Derek's pants and the lower part of his shirt were soaked. He didn't need to hold the digits against the light to know that it was blood. The phone was slippery but he managed to grab it, wiping the screen off on his backpack. 

__The keyboard was silent, and Stiles dutifully typed in his contact information before having the phone send a text to his own. There was a buzz as the message was received. Derek was shifting, fingers digging into his other pocket, a pleased sound escaping from his lips as he pulled whatever he'd been look for out of the denim cocoon. Stiles found himself wishing that the werewolf would make happy noises more often. _They were pleasant_._ _

"Here," a soft sigh and then, "don't worry its clean. Just put it in your ear." A plastic bag was pressed into Stiles' outstretched hand. 

| ** _I can't speak, what am I supposed to do with a headset?_** | His fingers punched at the keyboard with a meticulous accuracy. 

"But I can, just... wear it?" Derek shifted, body facing him now. 

_Oh no you don't,_ Stiles was tempted to crush the device. Or at least try to. **_It'll only be a couple of minutes, don't be a drama wolf._**

The werewolf frowned at the text, face illuminated by the screen of his phone. His irises flashed yellow in the glare. His jaw worked several times, almost as if he was conflicted about what he was going to say next. "Please?" 

Stiles clipped the device over his ear, **_Fine, but you have to talk the entire time I'm in there._** He thinks he sees an upward twist of Derek's lips, it was brief but it made him feel good. _Sour wolf does know how to smile._  
________________________________________________________________________________ 

For the first few minutes Derek doesn't say much, and Stiles only knows he's still alive because of the labored breathing. The beta starts talking while Stiles was using the urinal and the teenager jumped, he had completely forgotten that the older man was supposed to be talking. 

"-ot hungry, eat inside." He tunes into the voice as he wipes and he can't help but think about how weird his life is at the moment. He manages to keep his focus on what he was writing until Derek started listing things and the cashier started asking him what he wanted. 

// _Number one combo, with sprite._ // He scribbles the order quickly. Derek starts talking about the various things that can bring down a werewolf and Stiles wishes that he could tell him to be quiet for a moment. 

"And for your side?" Manicured nails press against the register, the woman's voice bored. 

"-ntain ash." The voice whispering in ear listed and Stiles frowned. _Mountain ash? What the hell had the power to burn a mountain to ashes?_ He doesn't realize that his fingers are still moving until the cashier's eyes bore into him. He looked down, confused be the sudden hostility and _oh_. He felt his face flush. // _I'll take the mountain ash._ // He swiped the board quickly, his sleeve erasing the words with one swipe. // _Sorry, I meant fries. I'll take fries._ // 

He eats his meal in the corner, practically shoving the food down his throat before hurrying out of the door.  
________________________________________________________________________________  
~~

> ##### Stiles
> 
>  ** _Derek isn't doing so hot. What am I supposed to do with him?_**  
>  ~~
>
>> ##### Scott
>> 
>>  ** _Take him to the vet clinic._**  
> 
> 
> ~~
>
>> ##### Stiles
>> 
>>  ** _He's going to kill me if I take him to an ANIMAL hospital. He doesn't take dog jokes very well. Have you found it yet?_**  
> 
> 
> ~~
>
>> ##### Scott
>> 
>>  ** _No._**  
> 
> 
> ______________________________________________________________________________

In the end, Stiles decided to forward the conversation to Derek so that the werewolf would know that he was serious about where they were going. The beta didn't complain, skin an ashen shade of grey, body starting to shiver as the wolfsbane made its way further through his veins. Stiles helps him get into the clinic, letting go only when Derek was seated on a sack of feed.

"We..." The word died, cut off as Derek stared at his arm. "You're going to have to do it."

// _I don't have to do anything._ // The rebuttal was automatic. // _Scott said that he has the bullet now, its laced with... Nordic Blue Monkshood? What is that?_ //

"Rare form of s'bane." The reply was weak and Stiles rushed forward, just barely making it in time to catch Derek's weight. 

_Easy, easy...._ Stiles swallowed, throat working as he tried to form the words only to cough uncomfortably because of the strain it put on his chords. _I'll do it, if I have to, but I really don't want to._ And then Derek was behind him, a hand shoving him forward when he tried to turn them around. An irritated breath exhaled on the back of his neck, and Stiles shivered. _Okay, okay, no turning back._ He pushed the door open the hinges creaking softly as it swung. It closed behind them with a thud.

// _Look, I'll do it..._ // His hands shook as he wrote, // _But, can we please wait a few more minutes for Scott to get here?_ //

The werewolf nodded, pulling a saw out of one of the drawers. "If he doesn't.... you are going to have to cut my arm off.  
______________________________________________________________________________________

// _I lied, okay? I seriously can't saw through bone, especially when the person who owns it can feel everything._ // The marker hit the table resolutely. Derek had his injured limb resting against the metal exam table, the black lines were almost reaching his shoulder now. A few more inches and they would reach Derek's heart. Stiles swallowed, trying to look firm as the werewolf squinted at him. // _And I'm so not buying your threats right now._ //

He didn't expect Derek to snake his good hand out, fingers strong as they gripped the front of Stiles' shirt and pulled him closer until their faces were about an inch away. : _Okay, okay!_ : His hands fluttered as he signed, and from the way Derek's grip loosened the beta must have understood. The grip was slack for only few seconds before the werewolf tensed, lungs heaving as he bent over the table, a pale cheek pressed against the cool surface. He only lifted his face long enough to retch, body shaking as it expelled a thick black fluid. 

Stiles pulled away, hands locking behind his head as he looked anywhere but at the floor. 

"Body's trying to heal itself." Derek was practically panting, "You need to do it now."

// _Can't we wa-_ //

"Just do it!" The sound was desperate and _scared_.

Derek Hale was just as scared as he was and the fact did little to soothe his jittery nerves. Stiles swallowed, hands reaching out to pick up the handsaw. The werewolf wasn't looking at him, hazel eyes fixated on the wall and muscles tense with anticipation. _Are you sure?_ The question formed at the tip of his tongue, begging to be asked. All that came out was air. He closed his mouth abruptly, frustrated at his inability to communicate. _Fucking aphonia._.

He blinked angrily, setting his mouth in a firm line as he pressed the blade against Derek's bicep. _You can do this, he needs you to do this. Scott needs you to do this and Beacon-fucking-Hills needs Derek._ It was twisted, the way they needed the older beta. Needing and wanting were two completely different things. Stiles frowned at the realization. Just because he didn't _want_ to separate limb from torso he _needed_ to. Stiles sighed, moved to flick the blade on when Scott came careening into the room.

"What...what the hell are you doing?" He's looking at Stiles likes he's the worst person in the world.

"Did you get it?" Derek's voice cuts through the tension as he looped his good arm under the bad one. 

"Yeah... what are you going to do with it?" 

"I'm goin..." The voice breaks off, its owner swaying, "gonna..."

Things went south quickly when Derek never finished the sentence, body dropping like a sack of flour. Stiles can vaguely hear Scott shout something in frustration, chest colliding with the ground as he attempted to catch the offensive piece of metal. There was clatter as the bullet dropped into the vent, shining mockingly in the dull light. Stiles didn't care about that, his attention was focused on trying to rouse the stricken werewolf. _Derek, come on. Wake up Derek, we have the bullet..._ He stops his mental tirade, hands patting against a strong jaw. He licked his lips, clenched his hand into a fist and put as much force as he could into the swing. _Please don't kill me._

Derek shudders, eyes opening and looking around in a haze of confusion. Stiles would be happy, would be thrilled if it didn't feel like he'd just punched a brick wall. _Stupid werewolves._ He sets his throbbing fist on the table a second before Derek lets his arm fall. There was a flash of teeth, the sound of metal being torn apart and then the top of the bullet. _And if that wasn't bad ass then he didn't know what was._

There's powder pouring out of the bullet, a lighter seeming to appear out of nowhere. The cap flipped, and the flame sparked to life. It devoured the wolfsbane, a blue vapor rising from the residue. _What the...oh God._ The beta was scooping the remnants of the powder into his palm, jaw clenching before he slapped it against the bullet wound, a finger guiding the purified wolfsbane into the actual hole. The scream was something that Stiles never wanted to hear again. From anyone.

He watched, eyes wide as Derek staggered to the floor, body arching as whatever the hell the stuff was supposed to do worked. The lines were erasing, disappearing and fading into nothing. The open wound was next, flesh closing rapidly as the toxin was eradicated until there wasn't even a mark. If Stiles hadn't know any better he would have thought that whole night had been nothing more than a bad dream. _Its over._

"-'s a whole lot nice than you are!" Scott seethed, turning to Stiles for support. The only answer he got was a hard stomp on the foot before Stillinski turned and left. He was going home, he was going to sleep and when his dad got home he was going to give him a hug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted Stiles to do something like stomp on Scott's foot in the actual episode, and for Derek to wolf out on him when he said, "Well, the must have had a reason," after being told that the Argent's slaughtered eleven people, regardless of age, gender or if they had werewolf abilities. 
> 
> Thank you guys so much for the support! I'm currently working on two more stories for Teen Wolf. One has a chapter posted and the other one probably won't be up for a few weeks. Its theme? ~~Because life doesn't work out like it does in porn~~ And it contains Sterek, lots of Sterek :)
> 
> Comments make my day, and I can't thank you enough for your continued support, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a work in progress and as such is not already complete. Your feedback is something that will continue to help me and encourage me as I write this. I have no idea how many chapters there will be, but I am hoping that you guys will stay for the ride ahead!
>
>>   
> I like to thank **KaySco** for putting up with my texts requesting her help!  <3  
> I would also like to thank **ghostlywhitedirewolf** for running the Official Teen Wolf Prompts tumblr page, from which this story is inspired.  
>  And of course, this story would not have been made possible without **Akira017** as she is the one who supplied the prompt. If you read this, I hope you enjoy it!  
> 


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